The present invention relates to a measuring template in the form of a tape or printed on building materials for use in the framing of building structures and its method of use whereby to permit precise positioning and sacrament of building components while facilitating and accelerating the framing of building structures.
Various devices have been heretofore provided to assist the carpenter in the framing and construction of building structures. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,783 discloses a layout template tool which facilitates the marking of the positions of studs, joists, rafters, trusses, before nailing-in these building components in permanent position. A problem with these layout tools is they are usually constructed of metal members and they are cumbersome to use, require the user to use a pencil to mark desired locations, it is difficult to transport, some have moving parts which can be lost rendering the tool inoperative and their measuring markings wear out with periodic use often resulting in improper measurement markings. The tools also have restricted use when used close to other walls or building components, due to the fact that the tool is rigid and cannot be bent around corners.
Templates made of flat flexible thick material having adhesives thereon are also known in the cabinetry trade and other trades and an example of such is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,737. Such tapes are used at precise locations to indicate the position of holes when making cabinetry which require precision hardware to be installed thereon. Such templates have therefore very limited use. It is also known to use templates in the construction of housing development where repetitious measures are utilized and such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,302. Such templates have again restrictive usage and are not practical as a measuring tool for all sorts of building structures. There is also a need in the prior art to provide a template which is securable on building surfaces to identify components which are not visible and further wherein building components may be erected directly on the templates at precise locations. There is also a need to provide a template which is easy to use, which is economical and which accelerates construction.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide a flexible framing template which is an improvement over the above-referenced prior art templates and which is formed from an elongated flat tape of flexible material.
It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a flexible framing template in the form of a tape and which accelerates the construction of the framing of building structures, which is easy to use, economical, and which may be adhesively secured to building materials to identify the positioning of building components or to identify the position of building components which are not visible.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide a flexible framing template in the form of a tape and which may be used as a level indicator.
Another feature of the present invention is to provide building materials on which the template of the present invention is permanently affixed thereto such as being printed thereon.
According to the above features, from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a measuring template for use in framing of building structures. The template is comprised by an elongated printed measure having two or more groups of measuring indicia. The groups of indicia are disposed at predetermined intervals from one another. There are two or more of the said predetermined intervals. Each of the groups of indicia has a center mark associated therewith. A first set of numerical markings is associated with each of the center mark of each of the groups of indicia. The center mark indicates an exact location of the numerical markings. The first set of numerical markings is identical and indicates a cumulative measure from a starting point. The numerical markings of the first set are disposed on opposed sides of the center mark on a transverse axis of the template and aligned with the center mark. A second set of identical numerical markings is disposed on a longitudinal axis of the template on opposed sides of the center mark whereby the numerical markings of the first and second sets are easily readable when the template is disposed horizontally or vertically. The groups of measuring indicia each have a distinctive identification means to distinguish said groups from one another. Each distinct identification means indicates an associated one of said two or more groups of measuring indicia. The sets of numerical markings of distinct identification means groups define a numerical spacing between the groups of measuring indicia.
According to a still further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a measuring template for use in framing of building structures. The template is comprised by an elongated printed measure having two or more groups of measuring indicia. The groups of indicia are disposed at predetermined intervals from one another. There are two or more of the said predetermined intervals. Each of the groups of indicia has a center mark associated therewith. A first set of numerical markings is associated with each of the center mark of each of the groups of indicia. The center mark indicates an exact location of the numerical markings. The first set of numerical markings is identical and indicates a cumulative measure from a starting point. The numerical markings of the first set are disposed on opposed sides of the center mark on a transverse axis of the template and aligned with the center mark. A second set of identical numerical markings is disposed on a longitudinal axis of the template on opposed sides of the center mark whereby the numerical markings of the first and second sets are easily readable when the template is disposed horizontally or vertically. Each group of indicia is further provided with a cumulative numbered indicia adjacent the center mark and indicating a cumulative number of building components required from said starting point to each said center mark.